


You Ain't Alone

by subcutaneous7



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2016-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-22 10:39:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8282891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/subcutaneous7/pseuds/subcutaneous7
Summary: After Cat skips town, Kara also disappears following a terrible disaster. Will either find the strength to return?Inspired by the Alabama Shakes song of the same title, as well as the Season 2 premiere.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Very different from what I usually write, though smut and fluff does ensue. I hope you enjoy!

Three weeks ago, everything changed.

Six city blocks, leveled. The people who lived there, dead, all because the evil that festered within the walls of Project Cadmus had finally unleashed its reckoning. All because she, Kara Danvers, thought she could live a normal life among humans, among the people she loved so much, only to have one of them ripped away before her very eyes, before she could do anything to stop it.

No matter how many times she replayed that night, agonizing over what she could have done differently, it always ended the same. Winn was dead. Not because she couldn’t take down the creature that sucked his life away. Not because she’d looked into the eyes of Jeremiah Danvers, the man who helped raise her, the monster he’d become, and hesitated. Not even because she couldn’t stop the biogenetic device developed at L Corp, under the direction of someone she thought she could trust, from wiping out everything in its path.

No. Winn was dead long before that. He was dead the second she set foot in CatCo, the second she became his friend and told him her secret and pulled him into this life. He was dead because of her, because she’d selfishly allowed him and so many others to put themselves in danger on her behalf, because she’d been afraid to go it alone. _Stronger together_ , she used to tell them, because that was what she truly believed.

Not anymore.

Winn was just one of the casualties that night, one among thousands. After flying high above the city, witnessing the destruction, watching helplessly as it crumbled, she knew she’d failed. Once she confirmed Alex and the other DEO agents were safe, she took off, as far from National City as she could get, circling the Earth dozens of times before disappearing into the shadows, letting everyone think Supergirl had died too. She knew it would be excruciating for Alex, for Eliza, but she also knew it wouldn’t break them. If they were able to handle the truth about Jeremiah, they could handle anything, including this.

She floated through small town after small town, mostly in the Midwest, catching the news here and there, witnessing her own funeral, the way the president honored her posthumously for everything she’d done. _I don’t deserve it_ , she told herself, but if that’s the way they needed to mourn, then so be it. The city was slowly resurrecting itself without her, putting back the pieces that were left, and that’s the way it had to be. Superman was still there if they really needed a hero, but they didn’t need her. That much was clear.

That night, she found herself traveling south, ending up in a little dive outside of New Orleans. She’d traded her cheap, polyester-blend working girl wardrobe for bargain bin denim and a red and blue flannel shirt, colors she couldn’t seem to escape. As she sat at the crowded bar, trying to get lost in her drink and the twangy country ballads crooned by the band, her eyes kept stealing towards the TV screen, heart aching as she waited for more images of another home she’d lost.

“Another one, ma’am?” the bearded bartender offered.

Kara liked him. He didn’t ask too many questions, but she could still tell he cared.

“Sure,” she allowed herself to smile a little, adjusting her glasses, looking down at the dark wooden counter. “Thanks.”

“Must be a trend,” he laughed. “I ain’t seen two women drink whiskey like this in a long time. Straight up, no chaser or nothin’. Ladies must be a whole lot tougher where you come from.”

“I doubt that,” Kara blushed. “It’s just...wait. Two?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “I been sendin’ ‘em down the other end of the bar all night. Ya’ll are like, a coupla fancy bookends or somethin.”

Kara felt a coldness shudder over her skin, goosebumps rising, like if she turned her head, she was sure she’d see a ghost.

She stared down into her own glass, gripping it hard, waiting for him to sling the other one across the long, scratched up surface, following it with her eyes, until it met hands that caught it expertly. Hands that wrapped around its curves so deliberately, like they knew exactly how to touch everything they touched with just the right amount of sureness. Hands that gave way to familiar fingers, tapping against the glass, sloshing its contents back and forth, waiting for it to warm up.

Kara turned away quickly, all the breath escaping her lungs. She wanted to run, wanted to get up right now and walk out and not look back, just like the person sitting at the other end of the bar had done two months ago, with no more than a half-goodbye and a vague allusion to the fact that she was leaving. But her legs wouldn’t move. Her thighs felt like they were made of lead, pinning her to her seat as her chest rose and fell, wanting so desperately to flee. And yet, another, deeper, wounded part kept her right where she was, drawing her like a beacon back to the one person who had always been able to help her heal, maybe even now.

“Ma’am?” the bartender watched her teetering on the edge of the stool. “You alright?”

“Yes,” she swallowed, slowly standing, pulling a few crumpled bills from her pocket before tossing them onto the bar. “I’m uh...I’m just gonna walk around for a bit.”

“I’ll keep your spot,” he winked.

She smiled nervously, thankfully, as she headed across the crowded sea of line dancers and truck drivers and locals all laughing and kicking up sawdust like they hadn’t a care in the world, or had at least successfully left them somewhere else that night. Feeling a bit dizzy, she found a spot near the back door, across from the stage. It was loud, but she figured that was a good thing as she hopped up onto the chair, resting her drink on the barrel next to it. Within seconds, her eyes were pulled like magnets towards the bar, scanning across backs until she finally came to the one she’d been avoiding. Her breath hitched, caught in her throat, her face going numb.

There, in the middle of nowhere, was Cat Grant, like an apparition, like a sick, sad miracle, drinking alone in this place where either no one recognized her or no one cared.

Kara couldn’t help but take in the way her black leather jacket hugged her slender form, dark, blue jeans pressed against the wooden stool as she slowly, barely swiveled her hips against it, shoulders hunched beneath soft, golden waves that hung just past her chin. She couldn’t see her face, but she could tell from her body language, from every move she made, that it was her, for some Rao-forsaken reason, sitting there like this was _her_ spot, her stomping grounds, not the hovel Kara had hoped could make her invisible.

Once again, she wanted to sneak out, escape before she was seen, continue the ruse that she’d died back in the explosion with Winn and all the other souls she’d let down. But she was frozen, the loneliest, most fragile parts of her refusing to give up this dream, this last unimaginable chance at connection with the person she’d missed so much the past few months, every day she’d been forced to work under someone else, every night she flew by the darkened office and empty balcony, hoping against hope that she would still be there waiting.

All Cat said before she left was that she was stepping down as editor-in-chief and would be taking a leave of absence, for how long she couldn’t be certain. Kara, like so many others, protested, knowing once the CEO made up her mind, there was very little that could be done to change it. She told her to be brave, bold, all the things she’d been telling her for the past two years, all the pep talks and compliments that had only increased since she figured out she was Supergirl. They’d never spoken about it, not directly, but Kara knew she knew, which also meant she had to believe she was dead. If she left now, she could keep running and disappearing for as long as she needed, forever if that’s what it took to keep her loved ones safe.

But Cat was moving now, lifting her elbows off the counter, and Kara couldn’t have budged if she’d tried. She leaned back against the wall, ponytail sticking to the wood as she watched the older woman stand, deposit a thick wad of cash on the bar, pick up her bag, and head towards the restroom. Kara was glued to her as she walked, black, suede heels clicking even above the sound of the band strumming away, her thin, muscular legs carrying her to the far side of the room, almost out of sight, until suddenly, she stopped.

Kara thought she might actually be sick, her blood flowing so fast, head spinning, as she watched Cat turn, hair swishing, shoulders pivoting, until she was staring right at her.

All the color seeped away from her face. Her jaw fell.

Cat held her gaze, green eyes sparkling as the lights from the stage hit them, lips pressed together, nostrils flaring slightly as she breathed.

She didn’t look shocked, or angry, not exactly. In fact, Kara couldn’t read her expression at all. All she could do was stare back, holding her own breath, until she watched her former boss exhale, the corners of her mouth curling up just barely as she sighed, rolling her eyes before continuing into the ladies room.

 _What?_ Kara flinched in disbelief.  _What just happened?_

None of this felt real. Part of her was incensed at the smug, seemingly unaffected and all knowing look on Cat’s face, at the lack of reaction that she was there, alive, thousands of miles from where either of them should be, as if she had followed her there to begin with, as if she had known all along. But that didn’t make any sense. There was no way she could have tracked her, and there was no way Kara could have known, out of every state in the country, every country in the world, that Cat fucking Grant would choose to hide out in this one.

But that was just typical. She was always eight steps ahead. She knew she was Supergirl, knew she was meant to be a reporter, probably knew more about her than she knew about herself. And that, after all this time, really, truly, pissed Kara off more than anything else.

As much as she wanted to follow her and get some answers, she was tired of being out of the loop and out of control in her own life. She was fed up with having to learn so much, having to prove who she was, only to realize it was never enough, not for Cat, not for Winn or James or Lena, not for anyone.

She downed the rest of her drink, slamming the glass on the barrel, sending a crack splintering up one side, before pushing open the back door and making her exit.

When she got into the alley, she walked for a few quiet moments, head held high, fuming on the inside, cheeks burning, until she felt the tears stinging her eyelids, knees buckling as she fell against the rickety, swamp-covered wall. She collapsed into it, sliding to the floor, a lone sob escaping, her hands curled into fists, boots slipping against gravel, teeth clenching as she looked up and silently cursed the sky.

“You’re alive,” a voice spoke from the darkness.

Kara scrambled to her feet, wiping her eyes, catching her breath as she looked back towards the exit to where Cat was standing, illuminated by the yellow lantern hanging from the eaves of the building.

She sniffed, refusing to let her see her like this, taking a few more steps towards the road, threatening to disappear.

“You can’t do this,” she called out again.

“Do what?” Kara exhaled, throwing her hands in the air.

“Allow people to think they’ve lost you,” Cat swallowed. “Just when they need you the most.”

“Oh?” Kara scoffed. “Oh...you mean, kind of like you did? Just...skip town, forget about everyone who ever trusted or depended on…”

“It’s not the same, and you know it,” Cat seethed. “I’m human. My absence may be inconvenient, but it’s not the end of the world.”

“Really?” Kara breathed, biting her lip from the inside to keep from breaking. “Could have fooled me.”

Cat’s lips parted. She was taken aback, even as she shook her head, stepping closer, hands planted on her hips.

“I did what I had to,” she insisted. “I wasn’t myself. You saw it. I needed to step away, figure out...what my purpose was, or _will_ be, once…”

“So you just _left_?” Kara continued in disbelief. “You couldn’t have figured that out  _in_ National City? What about…everything you've built? What about...Carter…”

“Don’t bring him into this,” she clipped. “Carter is fine. I have always been there for him, and I will be again, as soon as…”

“You know what?” Kara sighed. “I don’t need to know about this. You were right. It’s none of my business.”

“Kara…”

“I thought we were more than just…” she paused, closing her eyes before opening them again. “I thought we were friends, and then you left, and everything started to fall apart and I made so many stupid mistakes and I let...everyone...down, and now I can’t go back. So if that’s what it takes, if running away is what you need to make yourself feel better, I am the last person in the world to judge you. But you don’t get to judge me either, because you weren’t there...when I needed you...even though you said you always would be.”

“When did I say that?”

Kara felt herself go fully red, tears once again surging, threatening to spill over. She shook her head, eyes squinting before turning away, taking off again towards the road.

“Wait,” Cat’s voice came after her, a little less steady this time.

Kara couldn’t help but stop in her tracks.

“You’re right,” she whispered painfully. “Okay, yes...I did run. But not for the reasons you think.”

Kara rolled her eyes, hastily turning back around, arms folded across her chest, the wind picking up a little in the dark.

“I left...because there are demons I deal with that you don’t even know about,” Cat swallowed. “No one does. I fought...so hard...for everything I have, and still...none of it matters. None of it, except Carter, makes me happy. None of it fills me up like it used to. None of it keeps me hungry and wanting and excited to come into the office every day, because…”

She stopped, like she suddenly remembered where she was and who she was talking to. Kara stood there, hanging on every word, waiting for her to finish.

“Because...what?”

“No,” Cat refused, stiffening, backing away. “You need to get back to National City. I’m done talking.”

Kara watched her start to dissolve into the darkness as she scuffled back towards the bar, wanting to let her go, wanting to just give up, until she felt her own feet carrying her against her will, hands reaching out, grabbing the older woman’s arm.

“Cat, please…”

“Don’t touch me,” she shuddered, spinning on her heels, but not stepping away, body practically flush with Kara’s now, the ends of her leather jacket brushing against flannel.

Kara could feel her shiver. She could hear her heart beating in her ears, feel the pressure in the air shift. She let go, but remained still, feet sticking exactly where they were, just inches away.

“Winn is dead,” she finally spoke.

Cat’s face fell. Her eyes immediately welled up. Clearly, she hadn’t heard.

“Oh,” she exhaled, choking back the emotion. “I’m...so sorry. I didn't…”

“I watched him die,” Kara swallowed, biting her lip to keep the floodgates from breaking. “I let thousands...of people die, because I wasn’t strong enough. Not physically, not emotionally. I let them all die...because I was weak. Because…”

“No,” Cat shook her head, reaching out against her own better judgment, cupping her cheek. “You cannot really believe…”

“Yes I can!” Kara shrieked. “I have to...because it’s true. I killed them all, every single one and I...I should be dead too. I should be…”

The tears came freely now, along with sobs and heaves and weeks of pent up guilt and terror as Cat threw her arms around her and held her close.

Kara was so angry, so full of questions and rage, wanting to tear herself away, but she couldn’t. Instead, she wrapped herself around Cat, pulling her closer, breathing her in, remembering the only other time she’d allowed this, standing on her balcony during Myriad. It had been too quick, and yet it stuck with her all these months, the memory not holding a candle to what it felt like now, both of them trembling as they held each other, so alone and lost for different reasons, and somehow, suddenly, found.

“I missed you,” Kara continued to shake as she cried. “I...I needed…”

“I missed you too,” Cat whispered, fingers gripping onto shoulder blades, the muscles in Kara’s back moving beneath her thin flannel shirt.

“Then...why?” Kara pulled back just a little, afraid to let go. “Why did you leave if…”

“I can’t…” Cat continued to dodge, trying to escape.

“Please…” Kara breathed, hands latching on to her biceps, needing an answer. “I told you everything! Why can’t you just give me a reason?! Give me...anything...”

Cat fell against her lips, kissing her so quick Kara wasn't even sure it happened. She immediately pulled away, breath catching, eyes wide.

Kara couldn’t move, couldn’t see or speak. She stared ahead, vision blurred as she tried to focus, the cool, fall air rushing past her lips, against the dampness left there from Cat’s warm, wet mouth.

“That...” Cat shook, using all her strength to back away. “...was a mistake. I...”

Kara lunged forward, bringing their bodies together, fingers curled against her cheek as she kissed her back, acting on impulse, on autopilot, completely stunned that she even remembered how to kiss, or that she had lips. But those lips were moving fast, trying to keep up with the ones pressed into hers as she felt herself being pushed back against the alley wall, the lights above them flickering.

Kara buried her hands in Cat’s hair, touching her in places she’d only dreamed of touching, trailing her fingers down her soft, smooth neck, thumb brushing against her throbbing pulsepoint. Cat’s hands were still on her shoulders, squeezing, as if she were trying to pull her closer and push her away at the same time.

“We can't…” she huffed, coming up for air. “I told myself...I wouldn’t…”

“You what?” Kara gasped, brushing their noses together, taking any form of contact she could.

“This…” Cat grit her teeth, biting her lip as she looked up at the stars. “This is why I left.”

Kara pulled her in again, kissing harder, lips frantic and heavy and hot and so certain, after weeks of so much uncertainty, that this is exactly what she needed to be doing. Her hands went to Cat’s jacket, then beneath it, cradling her collar bones, continuing to devour her sweet, full lips as she felt fingers gripping her waist, steadying her hips against the cement wall.

“I’m...sorry,” Cat breathed. “I…”

“Please,” Kara’s eyelids fluttered. “Don’t apologize…”

“But...” Cat fell into her forehead, beset with her own tears. “This isn't...I know it can't…”

“ _Why not?_ ” Kara shivered. She couldn’t believe what she was saying.

“Because…” Cat persisted, running through all the reasons she’d told herself again and again.

“I didn’t think...you’d ever want this,” Kara exhaled. “I thought it was just...in my head, that I…”

Cat grabbed her face, pressing her lips into her again, this time followed by her tongue, diving deep, letting it lap and lavish and fold against Kara’s until they were both moaning, breathing into each other's mouths, forgetting everything about who they were and where they came from, except for the fact that they both wanted this for as long as either could remember.

Cat’s hips tilted forward, the buckle on her belt clinking against the zipper of Kara’s jeans, denim on denim, growing warmer by the second as Kara’s hands dipped inside her jacket again, this time clutching her rib cage, careful not to squeeze too hard. But Cat was practically climbing her body, and Kara couldn’t help but send her hands around to the back of her jeans, pushing into pockets, digging into her globes, all the while losing her mind as Cat rose up on her tip toes and slid her hands under her shirt, raking nails across her stomach.

“Aaaah,” Kara gasped, lips coming undone, head falling back against the wall.

“I can't believe...you're really alive,” Cat pressed against her cheek, gripping her waist harder than Kara knew was possible.

She could feel the warm, salty tears trickling down Cat’s face, reaching up, wiping them away, smoothing her fingers across her skin, before kissing her again, this time deeper, slower, both of them needing to come up for air every so often, then melting back together. Kara took Cat’s generous bottom lip between her own, sucking it hard, swiping out her tongue, needing to know exactly what Cat Grant’s lips tasted like after all these years.

Cat continued rising beneath her shirt, marveling at the way her warm, Kryptonian flesh felt in her hands, until the back door of the bar swung open.

They both jumped, pulling away quickly, the sound of beer bottles and trash bags hurling into the dumpster, before the door closed.

Kara panted, looking down at her boots, trying to regain some semblance of calm, some grip on reality, before trailing her eyes back up to the woman standing in front of her.

Cat’s chest was heaving as she stared ahead, licking her lips, shaking out her hair, before going still. Her eyes were soft, green like the color of ivy. She swallowed, inching closer, as Kara reached out, tugging at the collar of her jacket.

Cat couldn't help but smirk.

“Did you know I would be here?”

“No,” Cat shook her head. “How could I possibly…”

“I don't know,” Kara breathed. “I just…”

“Do you want to come with me?” Cat swallowed.

“With…” Kara stumbled over her words. “You mean…”

“I have a room not far from here,” she continued, genuinely trying to sound innocent. “You could...get some rest, and then…”

“I'm not going back to the city,” Kara insisted, letting go as she slipped past the older woman, pacing. “I can't…”

“I didn't say that,” Cat exhaled. “Just...stay, for the night. Then tomorrow...you can decide what you really want.”

Kara knew it was a bad idea. She knew Cat would try to talk her out of disappearing, do everything she could to make her return to National City and face up to the lies, the brokenness, the devastation left in her wake. But right now, she was tired of running. Right now, all she wanted was more of this. More kissing. More impossible, sweet, frantic touching. More of the woman she knew she had no right, no chance at being with, even if she wanted her too.

“Okay,” Kara whispered before she could change her mind.

“Okay,” Cat sighed, taking her hand as she lead them towards her car.

It only took a few minutes to get to the hotel, if one could even call it that. Kara couldn't believe Cat would stay in a place like this, but she also knew she was full of surprises, full of secrets she wanted so, so desperately to be trusted with. They walked silently down the musty hall with its red, spotted carpets, until they came to the door, Cat fidgeting with the key, fingers faltering as she tried to get them inside.

Once they were in, Kara slammed the door shut, pulling Cat’s hand until she was pressed against her, kissing her wildly, lips hungry and anxious and everywhere as she slid back inside her mouth. Cat allowed her to push her jacket off her shoulders, revealing a sleeveless black tank that showed off her tan, freckled shoulders. Kara ran her hands down soft, long arms, trailing her lips to her neck, once again dizzy with the fact that this was happening, that she, Kara Danvers, was allowed to be touching and kissing and absorbing Cat like this.

Cat’s hands went to the buttons on her shirt, undoing them one by one, until Kara was left in nothing but a pink lace bra, holding her soft, supple breasts in place so perfectly, it made Cat ache inside, shivering as she took in the sight of her former assistant unraveling, with her tight ponytail and glasses she clearly didn't need, her sweet, giving smile, her eyes full of such hesitation and longing it made Cat feel so conflicted, but she'd already taken this further than she'd told herself she ever would.

Nothing else mattered now, or so it seemed. If the girl was willing to die, willing to throw away everything, then she had to show her just how much she meant to everyone who loved her, starting here and now.

“I…” Cat swallowed, pulling Kara’s hands towards the bed, taking a seat. “...have to tell you something.”

“Please…” Kara whispered, stroking her fingers through her hair, down the side of her face. “Tell me...everything...”

“I knew you’d be here,” Cat breathed, closing her eyes.

“What?” Kara shook her head in disbelief. “But that's...how…”

“I don't know...not exactly...but I did,” she continued, lips pursed. “I always do...and I can't...do my job, be the CEO of a media conglomerate whose purpose it is to seek out truth if I can't be honest about what I know. About...where, and who, you are.”

Kara looked at her incredulously, brow furrowed, trying to understand what she meant.

“Are you…” she whispered. “Are you saying...you stepped down...because you won't reveal my secret?”

“Yes,” Cat nodded. “And no. That, and...you don't really need me, not anymore. I've felt the itch, the call to something else for years. And then you stepped into my office, into my life, and everything changed. Everything was...so much more alive again, with you...with Supergirl. But I knew I couldn't keep you, not when you have so much...more that you're capable of. I had to let you go, but I can't keep pretending like it wasn't the worst decision I’ve ever made. The worst, and the most important, because...you...are everything, Kara Danvers. You are the hope this world needs. You are...the light...that leads people out of the darkness. And you're the only person who’s ever made me feel...the way I do...when I look at you.”

Kara’s lips fell open again. She was stunned, her skin flushing, tingling with every word Cat spoke. She felt the tears flooding back, filling her eyes, making them bluer than before as she sniffed, taking Cat’s hand, trying so hard to stay strong.

“You don't really mean...all those things,” she shivered.

“Have you ever known me to say things I didn't mean?” Cat sighed. “Okay...maybe that's not the best way to put it. But have I ever... _ever_ lied to you, or told you how...incredible you are...without you knowing I stood by every word?”

Kara wanted to deny it, wanted to keep pretending like she hated herself, because it was so much easier to place the blame within, to unequivocally declare herself incompetent, the reason everything had fallen apart, than deal with the fact that things were far more complicated, far more difficult to fix.

“No,” she finally sighed, shaking her head. “I believe...everything you've ever told me. I just...don't know how to face...what was lost. I have lost so, so much...and I can't help feeling like if I just stayed away from everyone I could possibly hurt I…”

“Would still end up hurting them,” Cat told her, tracing her ear, letting her fingers play with the wisps of hair at the nape of her neck.

Kara swallowed, turning towards her again, holding her soft, sculpted cheekbones, bringing their noses together.

“Is this really…real?” her breath became labored. “Are you...I can't believe you really want…”

“I do,” Cat exhaled sharply, hands rising to her shoulders, her neck. “I have...for some time...I just didn't think…”

Kara crushed into her, lips searching, speaking, letting her know it was more than alright, more than fine, to think, and not think, to touch, to taste, to feel everything they'd been afraid of feeling, until now.

Cat stood before her, pressing against her knees, peeling her shirt up over her head, letting it fall to the ground. Kara looked up into glowing green eyes, the way her clavicles jutted out sinfully above breasts that were too delicate and soft and right there in front of her to be real, hammocked so snugly in a black lace bra that was sheer enough to reveal dark, tight nipples beneath it. Cat reached down, taking Kara’s hands, bringing them up to hold them, leaving them in her strong, gentle fingers, as Kara leaned forward, breathing against her stomach, kissing every soft spot as she kneaded, feeling herself lose track of time and space. She kissed and licked her way across her stomach, all the while feeling Cat loosen her ponytail and remove her glasses, until her gorgeous blonde locks were cascading down her shoulders.

“There you are,” Cat breathed, smiling softly as she climbed onto the bed, placing her knees on either side of Kara’s hips, until the younger woman was spread out against the comforter.

Cat hovered above, Kara pulling her down against her, kissing her hard, using her tongue and teeth and lips to explore every way she could possibly kiss this woman, this vision, giving herself so freely as she breathed into Kara’s neck, allowing her to slide her hands over her back, reveling in bones and muscles and skin, until she was snapping open her bra, letting it fall loosely onto her own chest.

“Is this…” Kara began to ask. “...okay?”

“Yes…” Cat breathed, removing the garment, arching her back, letting Kara take her breasts in her hands, before bringing one exquisitely taut, pointed nipple into her mouth.

“Ohhh,” Cat moaned softly, hips rocking forward as she allowed herself to be licked and sucked, feeling Kara take as much as she could into her mouth, gripping and kneading the other breast before trading one for the other.

“You…” Kara exhaled against her chest. “Are so...so beautiful…”

“Please…” Cat shook her head pleasantly, feeling her wetness mounting with every touch.

Kara lost herself further as she felt Cat’s hands slip beneath her, removing her bra, discarding it across the room. She blushed, throwing her hand over her eyes, looking away as she let Cat soak up the sight.

“Well…” she whispered, nuzzling her face gently, fingers walking up the sides of her breasts, before cradling them in her hands. “...you...are every bit the goddess I'd imagined…”

Kara squirmed beneath her, needing more, kissing her again and again, their skin pressed and sticking and slipping as Kara’s knee spread Cat’s thighs, letting her writhe against her leg, the friction of their tight jeans making her breathe heavier as she continued palming Kara’s breasts and sinking her teeth into her ear. She pulled the younger woman closer, letting her sit up, letting her fingers fall to the hem of her pants, undoing the button furiously, as Cat returned the favor. They were both gripping onto denim, pulling it down over each other’s hips so needily, Cat more than turned on by the way Kara went after exactly what she wanted, unafraid of taking the next step.

Once their legs were free, Cat grabbed onto Kara’s ass with a fervor that made the younger woman’s nipples hard against her body, as they continued to kneel, hands and arms completely enthralled as they breathlessly, hurriedly felt all they could of one another. Kara pushed her back onto the bed, until Cat flipped them once more, straddling her again, leaving them both panting and shaking against the rustled sheets.

“I need you...” Kara whispered, almost inaudibly, but enough to give Cat the signal to move things along. “I will always...always need you...please…”

Cat let her mouth, her breath settle on Kara’s soft lips as she dropped her hand between her legs, tracing across soaked panties, ready to be taken off. Kara swallowed hard, letting out the tiniest, most excruciating squeak as she felt herself clench, wanting to savor and remember everything about these moments, still so convinced they were fleeting.

“Do you want me?” Cat breathed, kissing her nose, then her lips, as she brought her fingers to the elastic band. “Should I…”

“Yes…” Kara trembled, nodding vigorously. “Please...whatever you want...I…I want you…”

Cat pulled her underwear off and replaced them with her hand, looking down between them in the dark, the light just barely coming in from the cracks in the blinds, enough to watch Kara’s face contort so beautifully as she ran her fingers through soft, blonde curls, her tight, dripping slit, fluttering through folds, finding her swollen node. She began to rub it gently as Kara grabbed at her shoulders, singing and moaning and breathing against her ear.

“Aaannnnghh,” she sighed, letting her hips fall open, allowing Cat to cup her entirely with her palm, all the while stroking and flicking her clit.

“Can I…”

“Yes-ssss!” she tried not to scream, though she knew she was being louder than they probably should in this strange dump in the middle of a swamp. But Cat was pushing deeper, teasing her entrance, filling her up with just two long, certain fingers, and Kara’s head fell back against the pillows, breasts rising towards the ceiling.

“Oohhgggood,” she crumbled, nails digging into Cat’s back, careful not to make her bleed, balancing her strength with her ability to let go. “Please...Cat…”

“I love you,” Cat whispered, knowing she needed to hear those words just as much as she needed to say them.

Kara wrapped her arms behind her neck, shuddering, shaking so hard as Cat pumped into her, curling inside, kissing her all the while, legs and limbs kicking and grabbing and finally, going limp as she came.

They both fell back, heads turned towards the foot of the bed, gasping and breathing, eyes closed, until Cat felt the younger woman climb on top of her, kissing her cheek, kissing her eyes and chin and her sweet, perfect nose that was all Cat Grant’s, tangling her fingers in her hair, staring into her eyes, lips still shivering.

“You really...love me?” Kara breathed.

Cat gazed back up at her, eyes watering, fingers feeling and channeling every bit of truth and reassurance she could into the woman above, heart pounding.

“Of course,” she swallowed.

“I...love you too,” Kara told her, the words escaping on the edge of a cry as she bit her lip, wiping her eyes, before kissing her again so fully and deeply, Cat couldn't help but lock her legs behind her back.

“Thank god…” she exhaled, trying to forget all the reasons why this felt impossible, how old she felt, how young Kara was. But right now, all she could focus on was the way her body responded as Kara’s hair slid down her chest, following her hands, her mouth, until her cobalt eyes were staring up from between her legs, asking for permission. She nodded, allowing herself to be fully undressed.

Kara drank up the sight of her nakedness, her long, skinny torso, still so toned and smooth and lithe, though Kara’s heart sped faster at the ways her skin melted beneath her fingertips, at all the fine lines and marks and little distinguishing features that set her apart from every other person in the world, every other being in the universe, all the things that spoke to her experience and age and fierceness, every scar, every inch, more gorgeous than the next.

Cat pulled her back up, kissing her hard, pushing her hand down between her thighs, until Kara was sighing deeply, fingers finding their way into Cat’s most sacred space, diving through wetness, sending shockwaves up the older woman's arms.

“Is that….” Kara wanted to give her exactly what she needed. “How…”

“More,” Cat encouraged, holding onto her back, her face, anywhere she could get her hands on as Kara slid down her body again, wanting to be bold, wanting to trust her instincts, to be all the things Cat told her she could be.

She kissed and licked her way over hip bones and soft, pliant skin, until her eyes honed in on the small strip of hair, the warm, pink flesh beneath it, pulsing under her touch, Cat’s thighs shifting and swaying as Kara continued to tease. She looked up once more, eyes catching Cat’s, making sure she was ready, before dipping her head there, replacing her fingers with her lips, her tongue, rendered completely speechless by the feel and taste and scent of Cat filling her mouth.

“ _Kara_ …” she groaned, fingers buried in her hair, tugging gently at her roots as she felt herself being licked, being spread and swallowed, Kara’s wild, eager tongue tracing every nook and crevice and petal so surely.

Kara’s nerves were on fire, every ounce of confidence she had working to keep her from falling apart as she lapped up the sweet, subtle flavor, sinking into Cat’s waiting, wanton core, needing to taste more. Cat reacted in heavy groans and gasps for breath, and Kara sent her tongue deeper, pressing in and out of her entrance again and again, until she turned to her throbbing, radiant clit, using her speed, her dexterity to give everything she could.

“Fuuuuck...” Cat cursed, breasts bouncing, breath escaping her lips as she bucked against Kara’s mouth. “Yes! Yessss!!!”

Kara felt the spot grow hard and hot against her tongue as she held Cat’s thighs, bracing, keeping her steady, until she was rolling her hips, head thrashing, coming hard while screaming and writhing and breathing her name into the dark.

All was silent. Kara crept up towards her, wiping her mouth, before kissing her again and again, tongues determined to go further than they'd already gone, to feel scent, taste sound.

Cat held her close, head falling into the crook of her elbow as Kara pulled their bodies together, hand resting against her cheek.

“Thank you,” Cat whispered.

“Thank...me?” Kara shook her head. “I...I should be thanking…”

“You need to stop doing that,” Cat smirked.

“What?” Kara sighed.

“Acting like you aren't exactly...who you are,” Cat caressed her arm. “Like you aren't...just as worthy, just as powerful. Like you don't deserve love, deserve this...and so much more.”

“I…” Kara swallowed, all of her fears, all of the reasons why she had run in the first place rushing back. “But…”

“No buts,” Cat insisted. “If we're going to do this...you need to own it. You need to feel, remember...how proud you make me, make everyone who knows and loves you...until you're proud of the woman you've become.”

“I...can't…” Kara broke down against her will, sniffing back tears, trying so hard to resist. “Winn…”

“Would want you to go on living,” Cat breathed. “Just like every other person you tried to save. I know it's not easy. Failure is inevitable, but it's where you go from here, what you do next...that really makes you a hero.”

Kara wiped her eyes, letting herself be pulled into Cat’s arms, curling up against her side.

“If I go back…” she sighed. “What if...people don't want me? I lied...to everyone. My friends, my family…”

“ _I_ want you,” Cat told her. “And as far as I'm concerned, to hell with everyone else. But you know as well as I do...that they’ll embrace you, with open arms, thankful you've returned to make things right. And besides...I'll be there, to help with damage control, to help put the pieces back together...if you really need me to be.”

Kara pushed up on her elbows, watching Cat’s face, trying to read whether she was serious, whether she really would return with her, for the good of the city, if nothing else.

Cat smiled up at her, lips pressed together, eyes gleaming.

Kara remembered, and felt, every word she'd said, every promise, every moment they'd shared since the day she walked into her office, changing her life forever.

They lay together all night, kissing, breathing, hoping that when the morning came, they would be each other’s ticket home.


End file.
